We all know the value of the entrepreneurial spirit. It is the spirit that is sparked by passion and vision and motivated by a sense of achievement with no precedence. It is the spirit that is relentless and undefeatable and is never satisfied by the status quo for it is forever searching for new ways to do old things. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and ticking and is always on the “look-out” for systems that allows it to do things better, faster and cheaper — than ever before.
Legendary entrepreneurs have revolutionized our world in many ways. Howard Hughes initiated commercial air travel; Bill Gates enabled a geographically divided world to connect virtually; Anita Roderick added the dimension of social responsibility to how profitable businesses are managed; and Richard Branson.... Well Richard Branson is the dream of every entrepreneurial aspiration...
As Saudi Arabia ventures into the job creation mode by encouraging the young to start their own business many governmental and non-governmental institutions are trying to find ways to provide incentives for those who venture into the path of risky business. However the key incentive any entrepreneur would wish for, is to be able to start-up a business as quickly and as economically as possible.
In the spirit of supporting the effort of these institutions and with the intention of shedding light on the cumbersome registration procedures new business owners face I will share with you a small success story that I have had the fortune to witness first hand. This is the entrepreneurial story of two young women who used their passion and drive to come up against all odds to start their own small business. Even though their story may be a small success, it is nevertheless paved with obstacles... but obstacles were to these two young and restless entrepreneurs, nothing more than motivators that spurred them to stubbornly make their dream come true.
This is the story of Faye Behbehani and Sara McKinnan, two young women of Arab origin who married Saudi men and found themselves settling in Saudi Arabia nearly three years ago. As newcomers to the country both felt the need to occupy themselves productively so as to avoid the growing pains of inevitable culture shock. Getting employed was not on their agenda, for both realized the impossibility of working in a corporate environment that would hinder their creativity and freedom.
It all started when both women began to tap into their entrepreneurial spirit by noticing a need in the market for specialty home accessories and fashion apparel similar to the lifestyle boutiques that they had grown accustomed to visiting while living in Europe. With the desire to recreate a similar luxurious shopping experience for women in Jeddah, both Faye’s background in interior design and Sara’s love of fashion were collectively put to work and soon enough their specialty boutique the “Jasmine Box” was born.
“Jasmine Box” introduces women in Jeddah to a new retail concept offering customers a superior selection of fashion choices ranging from furniture and wonderfully diverse feminine home accessories that have been carefully hand picked from all corners of the globe. The boutique is stocked with long-lasting scented candles, funky cushions, ornate vases as well as up-to-the minute clothing and fashion accessories that are displayed in a mix and match fashion. Everything in this unique and charming shop, from the hangers to the lovely seating arrangement, is for sale or available to order. And the added value that permeates the boutique is the welcoming ambience created by both owners as they painstakingly cater to each client’s need.
As the business flourished an interesting twist to this tale took place. What initially opened as a walk-in store for the general public, closed its doors last week to become a “women only” store. What both partners noticed is that since 95 percent of their clients were women they needed to create a mood of privacy and a sense of “being at home” to enable these women to browse comfortable through the exotic aisles packed with ethnic and diverse pieces.
Witnessing the success of “Jasmine Box” as it exists today would have you think that its creation was easy. The reality is far from so. For those who have ventured into the process of starting a small business in Saudi Arabia know exactly what I mean. Excessive regulation, and lengthy procedures compounded with laid back government officials make the process almost unbearable for the impatient and impossible for the lighthearted.
It all started when Faye was vacationing in Thailand and she decided to bring back some decorative items to test out her niche for the local Jeddah market. Her collectibles were displayed in a home exhibition which was carried out to a private audience of family members and friends. The result was promising.
At the same time, and by pure coincidence, her friend Sara was also venturing into a similar process where she ran two home exhibits for women’s fashion and design, which also proved to be profitable.
As both recognized the potential market open to them, they decided to take this small initiative to a higher level by pooling in their resources and venturing into a business partnership with the mission of creating the ultimate intimate shopping experience for women in Jeddah.
Understanding the complexity of registering a business in Saudi Arabia, both partners decided to exercise their hands-on personality by venturing into this process single-handedly and without any formal assistance from lawyers or “muakibs”. This proved to be challenging.
The first obstacle facing them was the lack of information - of documented instruction — on how business start-up procedures are carried out. The second challenge was for them to find a qualified salesperson to run the boutique once the official paperwork and various registration fees were done... and the third obstacle, well the whole process cost them nearly eight months of valuable overhead time and nearly SR25,000 in administrative and procedural fees.
Finally, after a year and a half of hard work, determination and heavy financial investment, “Jasmine Box” opened its doors to the public in September of 2006. I hope and pray that this little business grows to be the landmark niche that its owners wish it to be. The future for both partners is bright. Both envision “Jasmine Box” to become the hottest nationwide franchise.
As for me, I envision a future where young entrepreneurs will not have to face the same debilitating commercial registration procedures that Faye and Sara had to go through. I envision a future where the procedures for starting a business are streamlined and simplified. A future in which such a process would only take 24 hours instead of eight months; a future which allows job creators to have access to a pool of employable men and women ready to be interviewed and hired, and finally, a future that does not require an investment of nearly SR25,000 to payoff the legalization process.
